Eroica California is coming to Paso Robles for the fourth time on April 14-15. Besides the regular ride where vintage steel bikes and wool kits are encouraged and where toe clips are a must, there’s a new category: modern bikes.

Yes, your slammed carbon disc with 11 electronically-controlled gears is now eligible for NOVA Eroica. Actually, any bike, be it a gravel, cross, or an aero bike, can be used as long as it has a drop handlebar.

Photo: Paolo Martelli /Eroica

Instead of having four different routes to choose from, NOVA Eroica participants will ride the 87-mile coastal loop featuring 7,019 feet of climbing and 25 miles of unpaved road in timed segments.